The Day after Tomorrow: Shizuko Origashu
by kilah234
Summary: You know the story of Sam's struggles in Manhattan, but what about the people who appeared on the roof at the end? Shizuko, a girl living in Manhattan, is one of those survivors. Hear her story, and her struggles to survive.
1. Chapter 1

"For homework, I want you to do page 358, numbers 1-45. Due Monday," Mrs. Gunner said. The whole class groaned in unison, me included. Forty-five questions for homework? Are you kidding me? That was just crazy, but then again, Mrs. Gunner was crazy. "Now, now, class. You have the whole weekend to work on this. Whine some more, and I'll make you do 45 more- " The bell rang, interrupting her threat. Thank God for that bell. Saved by the bell. So true.

I gathered all my books from my desk, and dumped them in my bookbag. Then I hurried to my locker, where a herd of girls swarmed. _Not again,_ I thought. This was the fourth time since Monday that this happened. Why did my locker stand right next to Mackenzie Lowell's? Pure bad luck. Bad luck _did_ run in my family. Ever since Mackenzie broke up with the Oh-so-famous Wesley Woods, a whole bunch of her friends had felt the need to comfort her every second of every hour of every single day.

It was annoying, so so annoying to me, and time wasting. Sometimes it felt like a year before I even made it to my locker. Those girls with their mini skirts, shorts that looked like underwear, and belly-button revealing shirt, were so callous of others; especially me. Why they hated me? I didn't know why, but maybe it was because I wasn't a dumb retard like they were. But what I did now was that I didn't have time to wait for them to get away from my locker.

As I shoved my way through the crowd of girls, which earned glares, I heard many dirty names being thrown my way, but I held my composer and ignored them. Finally, I made it to my locker. I kicked it, the way I always got the old locker open, and opened it; successful. The thing was, that I wasn't expecting a skunk; a live skunk. I screamed, hearing giggles behind me, and jumped as far away from my locker as I could, pushing the devil who had done it at the locker. Of course she had done it, she hated me so much. Maybe she was racist, or just a fag, probably both. Who knew. She wasn't giggling anymore, instead she was screaming. Surprised, I saw the skunk let out a spray of green mist, right into Mackenzie's face.

I couldn't help but laugh, I knew it was cruel, but I did it anyway. She deserved it. My laugh echoed into Mackenzies ears, and through the halls. Mackenzie stopped screaming. I stopped laughing. She slowly turned to me, her face as red as the ripest tomato. A whiff of skunk spray came my way and filled my nose. I waved at it. Another laugh escaped me, and that's what set her and her freinds off. They started angrily toward me, ready to kill, but I didn't have time for this. Maybe another day, but I didn't want to die...yet. I ran, knowing they wouldn't run after me- of course they wouldn't want to break their precious heels- at the high-schools front door.

"Shizuko!" I heard Mackenzie cry behind me, her voice was filled with anger and distaste(I was surprised she even knew my name). A smile grew on my face at her voice; so high pitched and panicked. So lame and so puny. God, I could go on and on. And that was the last thing I heard coming out of her -ever- as I disappeared into the Manhattan streets.

The water surprised me first, okay, second. The cold air, first, hit me like a slap. My coat. God my coat was stinking in my locker. Even if I went back to get it, I wouldn't be able to wear it. The smell would be too repugnant for me. So nasty. All because of those dumbasses I wasn't able to keep warm. At least I was wearing long jeans and a sweatshirt, but that barely helped. _Stupid, stupid, they'll pay for this. _And I would pay for what I did to_. _School would be miserable if Mackenzie and her friends started doing pranks on me.My day was going horrible. First the homework, second the skunk, and third the water!

I couldn't imagine anything worse.

But the water was at least knee high, almost thigh-high, for me at least -I was only a startling 5'7, which wasn't that bad for a Japanese girl- and it was rising fast. I pushed through the water, gazing at the scene around me. Cars sat still in the road, people struggling out. Luggage, food, and other various items floated by. There had never been a flood in New York during my life-time, the 17 years I'd been alive, and this was the first.

I groaned in frustration. Bad luck certainly did run in my family. My violin practice was soon, but I wouldn't be able to catch a cab with all those cars in the way, and I couldn't afford to miss it. Four of my practices had already been canceled, due to family emergencies. Well, due to my moms emergencies. She had several brain tumors, all to risky to get rid of via surgery; I remembered the day I visited her at the hospistal. One of the worst days in my life, in my mothers life.

"Miss Origashu," Dr. Forman began. "We took the scans again, and we have interpreted how long you will live. It's the same as before, of course. And I'm sorry to say this but-"

"Shizuko, I don't want you to hear this. You can go now, go back home. I'll be fine here alone," my mother said. I couldn't believe my ears. She expected me to leave her there? Really? She wouldn't get rid of me that easily.

"No mom," I said, taking her hand in mine. "You can't make me, I wont leave." Tears forced their way down my face, landing with a plop on my shoe. I felt like a wimp, but everyone cried at sometime-excluding when they're born- right? My mom nodded in understanding; she knew she couldn't convince me to go anywhere. She needed someone with her as she went through her sickness, through her pain.

I remembered that day very clearly, very perfectly. The doctor had only given her two months to live. Two. Months. Almost 8 weeks. More than a month had passed since then. She only had 2 weeks left. Why was I so unfortunate? Why was she? I had already lost my father, and I didn't want to lose my mother. Who would I live with then? I had never met my mothers sister or brother, and my dad had no siblings at all. All of my grandparents were dead, and I knew no one else I could live with. Maybe I would live on the streets; alone. Alone just like- Someone pushed me from behind, interrupting me from my thoughts.

Then I noticed that people were running. Screaming. Running from something, running from... I craned my neck behind me, interested in what freaked everyone out. Was it some sort of animal? Had something escaped from the zoo? A tiger? Maybe it was a jaguar! They were my favorite animals. Or maybe there were aliens coming to invade! Possibly a zombie apocalypse. But no, it wasn't any of those, it was worse. Okay, so not as bad as an alien invansion or zombie apocalypse, but close to my standards.

It was a wave. Not one of those puny little waves that surfers rode on, but the type of waves that could send Moses running. The type of wave the freaked the hell out of everyone. The type of wave that stood higher than buildings. The type of wave that could chew up a building and spit it out. The type of wave that was heading straight toward me. _Huh, I guess this could be considered worse than the skunk..._ _Maybe I won't have violin practice after all. _


	2. Chapter 2

I ran, as fast as my legs could carry me, the rain and cold slowing me down. Good thing my mom had put me on the track team. I was a fast runner, but waves were a little bit faster. Well, a lot faster. The wall of water sped toward me, sweeping up cars, hot dog stands, and screaming people. They all disappeared in the vast blue liquid. I couldn't outrun it, but I _wouldn't_ end up like them. Shelter was what I needed. I searched for the tallest, strongest building I could find. My eyes fell on the famous Bellbow Hotel. It loomed over 30 stories high, made out of brick, wood, and who knows what. Hopefully it could withstand the wave. Without any other choice, I ran through the revolving doors, and into the hotel.

I gasped as I saw the scene. But not because of the glamour of it all, well that too, but because people milled around as if nothing was happening. My eyes fell on a baby, asleep, being pushed in a stroller. I realized they hadn't been warned. They didn't know they were seconds away from dying. But I did. I had to act. Quick.

"Get up the stairs!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. People stopped what they were doing and stared at me. Blank faces. Blank stares. "Move!" I shouted again. "There's a wave coming! Move!" They did nothing. Maybe they didn't believe me, or maybe they didn't care if they died. "Move!" I shouted for the last time. If these people were so arrogant, then they could die. I didn't care.

Suddenly, the building shook, and screams errupted from the dining area. Water spewed from the hallway leading to the diner, only 20 feet away from me. My head whipped around, searching for the stairs, and locked in on them. I ran through the door marked **STAIRS**, people following after me, and up the spiral staircase. I skipped up them -two at a time- and watched the water rise quickly below me. The civilians far below me scream and push as they get enveloped under the fast rising water. I paused for a second when I saw a mother push her baby up to a young man, higher than she, then vanish under the water, her baby wrapped tightly in her arms. It made me want to weep, and curse nature, but I didn't have the time.

"Get out the way!" Someone shouted behind me. Several people shoved past me; a family it seemed. I flattened myself against the railing to avoid getting trampled, the family disappearing through a door. All was quiet. The screams had stopped; all those lives gone. Below me, the water had stopped rising, and was instantly freezing over. I shivered; the cold seeping into my bones now that I had stopped moving. I needed to get warm. I climbed.

(^._.^)

I shuffled through the mini-fridge, looking for edible food. Food that was _un-_frozen. The power had shut off right after the attack, making the fridge useless. It wasn't needed anyway, the room felt like a refridgerator. Scratch that. The room felt like a _freezer_. Luckily, I had found a coat stored in a closet, plus the comforter on the bed in the room helped keep warm. But still there was no heat, no TV, no internet, no reception, no nothing. Was anyone going to rescue me? Probably not.

"Ugh," I said, spitting out the frozen, stale bread. My stomach grumbled. Icecream sounded really good. But there was none. The kitchen, which was on the first floor, was under tons of frozen water. Why did they always have to put kitchens on the first floor? Hadn't they ever thought that if a gigantic wave killing most of the population of Manhattan swept through the hotel the kitchen would be soaked and covered? No.

Why did this happen so suddenly, anyway? There was absolutely no warning on TV, nor on the radio. The image of the mother and her baby flashed in my mind. Mother. My mother. What happened to her? Was she still alive? The odds weren't in her favor. I pushed the thought away; I couldn't cry now. I was alone. Well, actually, I wasn't sure. The first thing I had done after the water stopped rising, was find a coat, room, then a bed, and sleep. It hadn't occured to me that going through the hotel to explore for survivors could be an effective thing. Now it filled my head.

I stood, abandoning the contents in the fridge, grabbed the red satchel I had found, and swept out the door. The hallways were dark, and quiet. Creepy almost. I was on the lowest hotel floor to the ice. It might've made the cold even worse, but if I needed to get out quickly then I wouldn't have to jump from a window onto the hard, compact ice. I had searched this floor a little before, and found no sign of life. Me, all alone, with my own floor of a hotel. That did sound awesome besides the fact that a wave had just buried Manhattan under tons of ice, and that there was no electricity, reception, or heating. No heat, that was the worst. And it was below freezing. I didn't understand how eskimos did it.

I sighed and trampled up the stairs to the floor above me, then searched.

A few hours later my satchel was bulging from bottom to top. I found a few valuable things; icecream, a full bag of Lays, a blanket, a box of matches, and some toiletries (though the water didn't work), but I took it anyway. Sadly, I didn't find what I was looking for; life. Actually, I did find life. A puppy. As I was wrapping up my search for that floor, I rounded the bend of the last unsearched hallway, and stopped. In the middle of the hallway was a puppy.

A cocker spaniel. It was sniffing the floor, for food most likely, but looked up at me when I entered. It yelped, trying to bark and scare me away, but did no such thing. Instead, it backed away. It seemed scared out of its mind, and I understood. No parents. No owner. Where was its owner anyway? If it had one then they should've been around here somewhere. Unless they were dead. Were they? Probably.

I bent my knees, patting them. "Come here, doggy. No need to be scared." The puppy backed away more. I sighed, standing. Well, that didn't seem to work. It made it worse. So I tried a different approach. Reaching into the satchel, I pulled out the bag of lays; taking out one. Bait. I got down on my knees and waved the chip in front of me. Hopefully dogs weren't allergic to Lays. "Here's some food," I said in a quiet, sweet voice. The dog shuffled forward.

"I know you're hungry." The puppy was a few feet away from me now. "Come on, take it. It's good." It hesitated. "Come on, it's not poisionous, if that's what you think. See?" I took a small bite from the chip. Yumm. I refrained from tearing the bag open and stuffing my mouth. I would have time for that later. Hopefully. "I know you want it. Come and get it." The cocker spaniel leaped forward and snatched the chip from my fingers.

I smiled. Success. "Good girl." I rubbed the puppys rich, black fur. "Or..." I checked, confirming its gender; girl. "Hmmm," I continued patting her. What shall I call you?" The dog didn't answer. _Surprise, surprise. _"No suggestions? I guess not." I tilted my head to the side, thinking. "How about... Hope?" She let out a yip, happy with my choice.

I smiled. Hope.

I stood, Hope in my arms, and headed to the stairs, but it seemed that Hope didn't like that idea. She barked and wriggled in my arms.

"What's wrong girl?" I said. She wriggled some more, urging me to let her go. I did. As soon as her feet connected with the ground, she took of running back the way she came. "Hey!" I shouted after her. Hope stopped and turned to look back at me. She barked. _Come, _she seemed to say. I followed. She took off running again and suddenly disappeared around a bend. "Wait up!" I yelled. Puppies could be so hyper. I turned right into the perpendicular hallway to find Hope perched in front of a door. She barked at it.

"What's this?" I asked. Of course, she didn't answer, she just barked again at the door. Then I noticed it. The door was cracked open a little, and something glowed from within. Someone was in there.

I slowly pushed the door open; it creaked. I forged on, until I was fully in the room. My gaze traveled around the room; similar to the one I'd discovered. But, no one was in there. Wait. My gaze fell on a huge lump in the middle of the bed. A body, I realized. Alive or dead? Asleep or awake? I tiptoed closer to the bed and poked at the body. I couldn't tell who it was, for they were covered completely with golden sheets.

"Hello?" I said. Nothing. I poked again. Nothing. I punched the body. This time he/she rolled over, facing me. The covers fell from his face. I gasped and jumped back, almost knocking over a desk.

The familiar name flew out my mouth. "Wesley?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Who… who are you?" Wesley stuttered, trying to sit up, but failing.

He looked weak, tired. I wondered what happened to him. He was never like this, never sick, but then again, Manhattan wasn't usually under tons of ice. Maybe that had gotten to him. Though his face was covered in cuts and grime, he still looked like the male model everyone thought he was. Long black hair, strong jaw, black eyes, tall, and muscular; the list went on and on.

I wasn't fazed by his extremely good looks since he was obviously an idiot for associating himself with that bitch. Still, Wesley held a streak of a GPA over 4.0 in all his years in high school. But that wasn't all, just like any popular, hot, guy, Wesley was on the football, track, soccer, and swim team.

His brother, who recently graduated from high school, was accepted into colleges like Harvard, Stanford, and M.I.T. All of which I dreamed to go to, but didn't seem very likely at the time. Plus, he still didn't remember me. How special I felt.

"It's me," I said as if he should know, and he should've. "Shizuko Origashu." Nothing."I was the one who pushed your ex, Mackenzie, into that skunk. Weren't you there?"

"Yeah," Wesley said. "I remember you. Shizuko, right?" That's what I just said, idiot. I nodded."What ha-" He paused, his eyes rolling back in his head, wincing. It was a good sight to see. Wesley Woods in pain. Mean, I know. I had some kind in my heart though, everyone has a good side to them. But I have to say, I usually view the glass half empty, instead of half full. I stepped to the edge of the bed and leaned over him.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"My... my.." he stuttered, nodding at the covers.

Hmm. Reluctantly, I slid the covers down his chest. He winced. I almost threw up. Blood covered half his chest, and stained his sheet, clouding the huge, puffy gash underneath. Puss oozed out from the gouged area, pushing against what doused paper towel there was. Infected, was the first thing I thought. Oh God. Couldn't you die from things like this?

"Wow," I said. "Looks like you got yourself in a bad situation." I paused, wondering what to do. "I'll be right back."

I began scuttling out the room, then stopped, turning. "Do you have anything sharp?" I asked Wesley. Due to his weakness Wesley just pointed at the drawer by his bed. I drew closer, opened it, and pulled out a Swiss Army where he got that. "Thanks," I said, scampering out the room, Hope on my ran down the stairs where the ice lay and began chopping.

Well, I began chopping, Hope ran around in circles trying to catch her 'd I name her Hope again? When I finished chopping, I hauled my heavy, irregular block of ice back up the stairs.

"Hey, do you have any pots or large bowls? Anything like that?" I asked Wesley, setting the block down on the floor.

I hurriedly wiped my cold, damp hands on the back of my jeans. It wasn't pleasant heaving a heavy, freezing piece of ice up the stairs. Wesley didn't answer.

"Wow, thanks for the help," I said. Thankfully, I found a huge, silver pot in the small kitchen. "This is perfect." I smacked the pot against my palm. Gripping the ice in my hands, I hauled it into the pot.

I placed the pot over the fire that burned in a metal trash can in the corner, and waited. Hope barked at my feet and wiggled her tail.

"What do you want now, girl?" I was sure I sounded stupid to Wesley, but I didn't really care. Hope barked again and licked my hand. "Oh? So you're hungry?" Hope barked twice as if saying yes. I fed her several chips and she chomped on her meal happily.

"Salt."

I jumped, startled, and turned towards Wesley. "What?"

"Salt," he repeated. "The water."

"Great. Salt helps wounds."

Wesley shook his head. "It'll hurt." He lazily pointed a finger at the kitchen. "Water bottles." His speech was all slurred making it sound like "Wadabodda".

"Water bottle?"

He nodded. I moved into the kitchen and easily found the water bottles in a small pantry. It was a whole pack of them. Two packs actually. With about twenty each.

"Thanks for telling me," I said sarcastically. "_After _I climbed down two sets of stairs and then chipped away at ice and then hauled a hundred pound block of ice up the stairs." Wesley didn't respond, as expected, so I began hauling the big pack of water toward the pot. The salt water had melted a little, but barely. I dumped it out in the sink. What a waste.

I dumped six cups of water into a large bowl, added plenty of washcloths, and sat down beside Wesley, who was staring at the very intriguing ceiling.

"I'm not a doctor, you know," I muttered. "So if I screw this up then...don't blame me. And I don't have any morphine so try to hold still."

With slightly trembling hands, I wiped away the dry, caked blood and puss surrounding the laceration. It helped me get a better view at the gash, which made my stomach churn. Good thing I hadn't eaten much in the past few hours.

The next hour was full of disinfecting, cleansing, stitching, and wincing, from both me and Wesley. I found all the supplies I needed in a small clinic area on another floor (who knew hotels had clinics) and I even found morphine.

Thankfully, years of watching House and shows like Grey's Anatomy helped me in the process. I changed the sheets on Wesley's bed and then made a bed of pillows for Hope. I tried feeding Wesley too but he only drank about a few ounces of water so I gave his food to Hope, who ate it delightedly. I ate little myself cause after all the puss and blood and watery stuff my appetite had dwindled to nothing.

I couldn't tell the time, with the electricity out, but according to the bathrooms window, it was pitch black outside. The sun was nowhere to be seen and the usual sounds of honking and squealing tires were now replaced by silence. From what I could see, the other buildings were dark and sinister. I strained my ears at what I thought was a distant howl.

Or maybe it was just my imagination.

I took a quick pee in the sink, since the toilet didn't work, then returned to the bedroom. I quietly stepped over the sleeping Hope and past the still-but-breathing Wesley and slumped down into the reclining chair. I patted my coat pocket for the Swiss Army knife, just in case, and settled down to keep watch.

**(^._.^) **

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	4. Chapter 4

Bacon: sweet, luscious bacon. I breathed in then out and gave a satisfied sigh. Until I noticed I wasn't the one cooking it. I peeled my eyes open and the world was as blurry as ever. I stretched, rubbing my eyes and the world was clearer.

"Ouch," I said, feeling the crook in my neck.

"I'd never thought you'd wake." Wesley. He stood by the fiery garbage can with a pan in his hand full of bacon. He looked like he'd cleaned up a little. His bare torso was no longer covered in pus and dried blood but he still had a bandage on, which looked new.

I wondered how the hell he was standing. And why he didn't have a shirt on. It was as cold as hell.

"What time is it?" I asked, turning my gaze from his gleaming six pack. The dim light shining through the bathroom window. Ice was fogging over it.

Wesley shrugged and turned back to his work, humming what sounded like _Mary Had a Little Lamb. _

"Where'd you get that bacon?" I asked.

Wesley chuckled under his breath, then winced at the motion. "The kitchen. Duh. Seems like you overlook a lot of things or maybe you just don't care."

I scoffed at him. "Really? Cause if I didn't care you'd by lying dead on that bed of yours! So don't judge me if you don't know me."

To my surprise, Wesley laughed, making me even more pissed off. "I didn't mean it as an offense; I meant it as a joke. And thank you, for saving my life."

I pouted and stood up. A rush of dizziness surged through my head, forcing me to sit back down.

Wesley whirled around and held out a plate of bacon and eggs. "Here," he said. "I'm sure you didn't eat much yesterday since you tended to me. This is the least I can do to pay you back."

I looked down at the plate. He'd made the most amazing fluffy eggs and crispy bacon I'd ever seen. Restaurant style. My stomach rumbled at the sight of food and I realized I hadn't eaten that much yesterday. I took the plate. "How'd you get the eggs unfrozen?"

Wesley laughed a short, sweet laugh and sat down on the bed. "It took a little heat."

I watched him as he placed a plate of bacon down for Hope. She barked happily and licked his still-greasy fingers. "Can you put a shirt on?" I instantly regretted asking that. I blushed, looked away, and started eating. "I mean, it's cold." I risked a peak at him only to find him smiling at me.

_Why did he have to smile so much? _

"I know but the fire warmed me up. And it still kind of hurts to move," he answered.

I blushed again, wondering if he was implying my help.

"So how do you like the eggs? They don't taste frozen do they?"

I was grateful for the change in subject. "No. They're delicious." And they were. I took another bite of heaven. "How'd you learn how to cook like this? Is it in your genes?"

A look of pain washed over his face, but as quickly as it was there it was gone. "My dad. He's a chef; a great one too. I've always wondered how I'm not 500 pounds yet." Wesley smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

We continued eating; the silence hanging over us like an awkward mist. He finished first, and took my plate without a word. I thanked him but he didn't notice.

While he scrubbed the dishes, I silently crept into the bathroom, with Hope keeping me company. I filled the sink with soap and bottled water and stepped out of my clothes. The cold hit me like a slap. Hope barked and jumped onto the toilet, wagging her tail.

"Don't pee on the toilet," I said to her. "I'll wash you later." I hurriedly grabbed the green washcloth and scrubbed the dirt, grime, and blood off of me. The water was freezing cold but the cleanliness was worth it. I washed my hair and pulled it up into a messy bun. I patted myself dry and pulled on my old clothes. They felt dirty on my clean skin. I decided I was going to search the hotel for new ones.

"Now it's your turn, girl." Hope wriggled under my fingers as I placed her in the water. She was probably cold too. I quickly ran my soapy hands through her soft, black fur and rinsed her off afterwards. The water was yellow afterwards. She shivered as I placed her on the floor and shook like dogs always do, spraying me in the process.

I swore and quickly dried me and her off.

Wesley was struggling to pull a shirt over his head when we left the bathroom. Without thinking, I hurried over to him and shrugged the shirt down over his head. His face emerged from it, facing me. Only then did I notice how close we were. I held my breath and he opened his mouth but before he could say anything I stepped away and said, "Sorry."

Wesley smiled, pulling down the rest of his shirt. "I was going to say thank-you."

I looked down; embarrassed. "Oh."

"I see you've gotten washed up. And so has the dog."

"Hope," I corrected. "Her name. I thought she was yours."

"Nope. I've never seen her 'til today."

"Oh, well we're about to go look for some clothes… Cause mine are dirty. And see if there's anyone else here. And see if there are any other supplies we need. And see… Do you want to come?"

Wesley smiled. "I was hoping you'd ask me that."

"I don't know though. You're still healing. I'm not sure if you can take all the stairs. And the cold. You should stay." I said quickly. I hoped he didn't get the wrong idea.

"Yeah, I think you're right. I just don't want anything to happen to you. You might slip, break your neck, and I wouldn't know." Wesley looked away. "I don't know what I'd do without you. If you hadn't found me before…" He didn't have to go on for me to get the idea.

"Thanks for the reassurance," I said sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm sure Hope here will tell you if anything happened to me. I hope…

Hope barked at the sound of her name.

"How long will you be gone?" Wesley asked.

I was surprised he even cared. "However long it takes. You might want to change that bandage and clean it out sometime soon, too. I won't be here to do it for you."

"Yeah. That's a good idea. I'll just…rest."

"Yeah. So we'll just be going now." I slowly backed out of the room and slipped out of the door, Hope at my heels, and Wesley looking eagerly after me.


	5. Chapter 5

The floor above us was entirely unoccupied- interesting because it was a hotel. But then again, people had been trying to get out of the city. We found a couple of clothes in that floors laundry room, a pretty turquoise blue sweater and sweats for me, a black tee for Wes, and a few comforters from various rooms. Most rooms were locked, so I had to pick them.

"Jackpot," I said, noticing a vending machine at the end of the dark hallway. Hope and I ran in excitement to the vending machine, but the closer we got I noticed something was wrong. First, the vending machine was broken. Glass lay scattered on the carpet and more importantly, there was nothing inside. Nothing, _nada. _Someone had emptied its contents and taken everything for themselves.

I was about to scoop Hope up when I heard something behind me. Whirling around, I came face to face with a young man. Startled, I jumped back, bumping into the wall. The man took a swig of his drink. Alcohol. He was wearing raggedy clothes, and didn't even have a coat on. And he was big, huge. The man stepped forward and took another swig.

"Watcha got there girl?" He asked in a southern accent, pointing at the blankets.

I shrugged, reaching for the knife in my pocket. "Blankets to keep warm." My voice wavered.

The man snorted. "Why, that looks a hell 'lot like mine. You been stealing, girl?"

"No, this is a hotel, they're mostly the same-"

"Boys!" He looked back into the dark hallway. "Looks like we've got us a thief here!" A figure stepped out of the shadows, and then another, and another. There were five of them, and one of me. Hope barked, I silenced her.

"I didn't steal anything," I said calmly. "Some sheets here are the same as others. You're mistaken." Boldly, I moved to get past him, but he blocked my way. "Excuse me, but you're in my way."

The man smiled, showing yellowing teeth. I could even see a gold tooth from being so close.

"You ain't goin nowhere missy," he said.

That was my cue. I lashed out, kicking him in the gut, and raced past his friends. Hands grasped for me but I shrugged them off and kept running to the stairs. I vaulted down the steps two at a time, quickly gaining momentum. suddenly I lost my footing and tumbled down the steps. I screamed, grasping for anything but everything was iced over. The steps jabbed into me and I slammed into the wall at the bottom. I screamed as I felt the army knife tear into my side.

But that was the least of my problems-the group had caught up to me. The big man grabbed my coat and hoisted me up in the air like I was a doll. The knife dug deeper into my side.

"I told you, you aint going nowhere. Why is that so hard for you to understand?" He said.

I groaned as he threw me back to the ground again. I closed my eyes. Someone kicked me, but it stopped and I heard a scream. Someone else cried out and someone crashed into a wall. Then it was quiet.

Someone turned me on my side and I could barely feel the pain. Slowly, I cracked open my eyes. It was Wes.

"Shizuko," he whispered. I blacked out.

I was floating, down the hallway, and into a room. Then I fell into the darkness again.

"Hey, you're going to be okay," someone said. I fell.

* * *

I opened my eyes, then shut them quickly again, and opened once more. Squinting, my eyes adjusted to the light and I looked around the room. It was the hotel room.

"I knew you were trouble when ya walked in. Shame on me yeah…" a familiar male voice sang from the bathroom. I reached up in attempt to cover my ears.

"Goodness," I said hoarsely. "No wonder he didn't take choir."

Hope barked and jumped up onto the bed. Onto me.

"Ow! Jesus!" I yelled, pushing Hope off of me. Her weight sent daggers into my side, which was now covered in bandages.

The door to the bathroom opened and Wesley came walking out. "Hey," he said. "You're awake. Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, neck hurts a little... Those...?"

Wes scratched the back of his head. "I think I taught them a lesson." I noticed a bruise on his cheek.

"Five against one?" I asked, pushing myself into a sitting position. I groaned in pain.

"Woah, woah." Wesley rushed over and steadied me. "Looks like I'm taking care of you now."

I shivered. It had gotten colder. "Sorry 'bout that. Clumsy me. And I didn't get any food.."

"Hey, Wesley, can we come in?" a voice said from outside the wall.

I panicked, grabbing onto Wes. "Who's that?!"

Wes laughed, touching my hand. "I found a few friends." He smiled. "Yes."

The door opened and a middle aged man walked in, shadowed by a woman and a young boy. "Sorry to intrude," the man said to Wes. "But we've brought your girl some pain pills we found." He had a touch of a southern accent. Louisiana, maybe.

_Your girl?_

"Thanks," said Wes. He handed me the pills.

"Thank you," I said to the man. "I'm Shizuko."

The woman spoke up, "I'm Wyoming, this is Bill," she pointed to the man, "and this is Joel," she pointed to her son. "It's nice to meet you."

Wesley spoke up, "Wyoming is a vet, she's the one that stitched you up. And Bill's the one who helped me against those men."

Wyoming spoke up again. "We were visiting some relatives from Louisiana." _Boom, CHA CHING. Called it! _"But we had to stop here 'cause of the crowded streets. We barely made it up the stairs when the water came. And it was some woman's yellin that warned us."

I blushed, she was talking about me. "Thanks, by the way." I motioned to my waist.

She smiled and they said their goodbyes, leaving the room.


	6. Chapter 6

**So, whoever out there who actually reads this story and enjoys it... Sorry for not posting in a while._ When was the last time I posted?_ Was it that long ago? Anyways... So yeah. Anways... Try to enjoy this chapter. Try?... Maybe... **

"Ha!" I shouted, slapping the three cards on the table; a spades, heart, and diamond of a 2. "I win! Booyah! Suckers!"

Wes, Wyoming, Bill, Joel, and I were playing Rummy, one of my favorite card games. I'd suggested playing it since there was nothing else to do, and I was having a difficult time moving too much. I was glad for the company though. Wyoming, Bill, and Joel all seemed to be nice people. Joel was the shy and quiet type at first but warmed up to us quickly.

The pain pills had helped a lot and now there was just an annoying, repetitive throbbing in my side. Actually, there was another pain in my side: Wesley. He'd chosen to stick to me like glue, asking every other second whether I was okay or not. I knew he was just being nice, but even that could start nerves. If I was any other girl I would have been ecstatic for his attention but I was me, and he was getting annoying.

"Jeez, Shizuko, you don't have to be such a boaster, even if this is your third time winning," Wesley said, rolling his eyes. "Besides, you might hurt yourself moving around like that."

I stopped dancing and smirked. "Well I'm sorry Wesley. It's not my fault you suck so much. Bill, Joel, and Wyoming have all won once and you know how many times you've won?" I formed my hand into the shape of a zero.

Wesley rolled his eyes again. "I'm only letting you win since you're injured."

My mouth formed an O in ridicule. "What does me being 'injured' have anything to do with it? This is a game of cards, not a game of soccer. And you're just saying that because you can't win!"

"Jeez," Joel said. "For a couple, ya both sure fight a lot."

So it was the couple thing again. Boy, the kid sure did say what was on his mind. From, "Are you Asian? Your eyes are all squinty," to, "Wesley; I thought guys at your age were supposed to be buff." I'd spent 10 minutes laughing at that.

I put a hand over my mouth and bent over, mocking throwing up. "Couple? No, we're just…." _What were we? _"Friends." I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and glanced over at Wesley. He was watching me. I looked away.

"Oh, my mistake," Joel said. "It was just-" He stopped when Wyoming nudged him.

"Another game, anyone?" Wesley asked.

"Ha," I said. "We're not giving you another shot at winning. Anyway, my bones are getting numb and cold." I slowly stood up from the chair. It hurt.

"Yeah," Bill agreed. "And your fire's going out." He stood up as well and the others followed.

"Yeah, and I'm hungry," Joel said. We'd eaten less than an hour ago.

"Yes, and you need to rest," Wyoming said to me. I wasn't tired in the least.

Bill started up the fire and Wyoming started cleaning the table. Joel placed the chair against the wall out of the way. Wesley and I shared a glance: we thought the same thing, they were very helpful.

"We'll be in the next room," Wyoming said, addressing the both us. "Call us if you need any help with anything." She smiled and they were gone. It was just Wes and I. If you don't count a sleeping dog.

"You heard her," Wesley said. "Get some rest."

I waved him off. "I'm not sleepy. You get some sleep. Remember you're not completely healed either."

"Wyoming got a good look at me and for the record, I'm a guy."

"What?! Being sexist now I hear." I crossed my arms and maneuvered closer to the warm fire, away from him. He moved closer to me, touching my elbow. I shivered at his touch, and hoped he didn't notice. He did. "Cold, huh?"

"Uh…erm…ah…no. I mean yes!" I felt my ears go red. _What's wrong with me?_

"No? Yes?" He was teasing me now. "Here." I felt a blanket wrap around me and he had to move closer to me so it would cover us both. His shoulder and leg pressed against mine. "Are you okay? You look a little pale."

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," I stuttered, then frowned. "Bill, Joel, and Wyoming are nice, you know? They're lucky they have each other. I really hope my mom's okay. A hospital might not be such a bad place to be right now, maybe. She's all I have. I really hope she's not…" I couldn't say it. I sighed, looking at Wesley, who know seemed only inches away. What I said was probably only blubbering to him. "What about you?"

He was silent for a while, his face now sad. But he then spoke up. "My mom moved away when I was young. To Texas, so I'm sure she's fine. My dad was a cook, a chef…"

I noticed he said 'was' and he'd already told me about his dad. I frowned, something was wrong. "So he was a chef. For what?"

Wesley's frown deepened. "For this hotel."

My eyes widened and I started feeling miserable. So his dad was gone. I shouldn't have brought it up. "I'm sorry." And I really was. No one deserved losing a loved one, but that's how it was.

"Ah, don't be. He could be a pain sometimes." Wesley stared at the fire, then looked at me. "Why is your mom in the hospital?"

"Damn brain tumors," I muttered.

"Dad?"

"Died in service. He was in the navy." I remembered being able to go on one of the ships he was stationed on when I was younger. But even that memory was fading away.

"That's horrible. Our lives kind of suck, don't they?"

"Yeah." And, I didn't know why, but my hand, like stupid magnets, took his in mine. My face was burning, but not due to the fire.

The awkward moment was broken when someone came through the door. We turned, separating ourselves, as Bill entered the room.

"Hey, ya gotta come see," he said.

**Er... So reviews. Again, sorry I haven't posted in a while because school sucks so much. Yeah... **

**So you like Bleach doncha know. Random... I know. But I like the Bleach anime. Except for fillers, some fillers, they're annoying. **

**Okay chau. **


	7. Chapter 7

**So this is maybe the crappiest chapters. EVAH. But, oh well. I didn't know what to put so I just introduced a new character. See who it is. Not that exciting though. Plus, this is a fairly short chaper, 400 words short. Sorry about that. I've just been busy with freaking (retarded) school lately. But, I can't wait till it gets out in a couple of weeks. Still have to study for exams though. :(**We followed Bill down the hallway into a big sitting room. On one side, Wyoming and Joel had gathered around a tall, wide window. They were staring at something below. Curiously, I quickened my pace to the window.

"They're leaving the city. Trying to get south," Bill said as I peered out the window. There were dozens of people, some carrying sleds and some in sleds, trudging on the frozen water. I noticed a couple of children, and some animals. Heading south.

I frowned. "It's below zero out there. What are they thinking?"

Wyoming nodded at this. "The south is warmer. Maybe they're hoping for safety. Before it gets worse."

Now Wesley piped up. "I don't think they'll get safety out there. What if it gets worse?"

No one replied to his unanswered question but we all knew the answer. We continued observing the small crowds. They began to decrease and reduced to no more than a dozen. A few minutes of silence and tension passed by until the last person was seen. I was about to turn away before Wesley let out a shout. I jumped, startled, and winced at the slight pain in my abdomen. I had almost forgotten it was there.

"Look!" Wesley said excitedly.

I smiled, amused, as he looked out the window like a little kid looked at a lollipop.

"Look!" he repeated, pointing to a lone figure approaching the hotel. "It's Neil!"

Before I knew it, Wesley zipped out of the room, out of sight, before I could yell after him. Wyoming and I exchanged wary glances that said _What the hell?_.

"I should go after him," I said, glancing at Bill.

Bill shook his head and pointed out the window. I turned my head as Wes, appearing outside out of nowhere, embraced the so called Neil in a long hug a few meters away. They pulled apart after a few minutes, patting each other on the backs. I'd never seen Wesley so happy and wondered who the stranger was. Neil seemed like a familiar name to me, though not many people were named Neil.

We dispersed from the window after Wesley and Neil disappeared back into the hotel.

"Do you know who that is?" Bill asked me as we waited. I shook my head.

We heard laughing male voices around the corner approaching and looked curiously down the hall right as they appeared. Wesley's arm was strung around another man's shoulder, whom, I realized, wasn't much older than him. The mysterious new stranger carried a duffel bag slung over one shoulder and had similar features to Wesley; long black hair, handsome. He had a long noise, pale skin, and was shorter than Wesley. His figure, even under his large coat and pants, seemed lean yet defined. I knew instantly who it was, his brother.

"Hello," Wesley's brother said, stopping in front of us. He and Wesley had twin grins on their faces. He surveyed our group, his gaze landing on me. I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and looked away. "I'm Neil, Wesley's brother. Sorry to intrude, but I thought it was a good time to visit my little bro," he joked, ruffling Wesley on the head.

Wesley frowned and playfully shoved his brothers' hand away, the kid in him coming back out.

"Nice to meet you," Bill said, the first one to reply. They exchanged smiles and shook hands. We all introduced each other briefly.

I felt glad, not only for a new face, but for Wesley, who seemed ecstatic.

"Are you guys a family?" Neil asked, pointing to all of us.

I was beginning to correct him when Wesley chuckled, somewhat directed at me. I frowned.

"She's with me," Wesley corrected Neil, pulling me closer to him.

Neil raised an eyebrow. I had a feeling he was getting the wrong idea. I began to open my mouth when Wesley interrupted. _Freak, _I thought, glaring evilly at him. He ignored me, obviously having fun, and complained about being cold, directing us back to the rooms to talk.

Bill and his family went back to theirs to give the brothers privacy but Wesley insisted I stay with him and Neil. I felt like I was intruding until Wesley set me down in a chair right next to his. I frowned.

Neil set his bags down, looking around the room, at me, then at the room again. "Where's-" he began.

"No," Wesley said, suddenly looking depressed before he brightened up again. It took me a few seconds before I figured Neil was asking about his dad. A glazed expression passed quickly over his eyes, though he held his composure.

I watched as he gave his brother a little tour before they sat down. Next to me. I twisted in my seat, uncomfortable from my wound and the two men. Unfortunately, Wes noticed.

"You okay?" he asked. He looked at me with sincere eyes. I nodded, but his frown deepened. Wesley stood up and I began to panic.

"I'm fine, seriously," I said, holding my hands up. My protests did nothing and I was forced under the covers of the bed. I felt like a child being tucked in.

"What's wrong?" Neil asked his brother, looking at me.

Wesley indulged in an in-depth explanation to his brother, who was now casting most of his attention to me. I sank deeper into the covers.

"Shizuko then?" Neil asked on pronunciation as Wesley finished up.

"Yeah, Origashumi. Shizuko Origashumi."

**Review, or don't review. Crappy chapter, I know. I suck. Is that what you're thinking? Yeah. Sorry bout that. **


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